Original subtitles

(ominous music)

(dramatic music)

(tense music)

(tense music continues)

(tense music continues)

- [Philip] Hello.

This is Apology.

Apology is not associated with the police

or any other organization,

but rather is a way for you to tell people

what you have done wrong and how you feel about it.

All statements received by apology will be made public,

so please do not identify yourself.

Talk for as long as you like.

Thank you. (device beeping)

(gentle music)

(gentle music continues)

♪ We're safe in the dark ♪

♪ Say what you want to say ♪

♪ Lose your control ♪

♪ Need to know what you feel ♪

♪ Need to know what you know ♪

♪ Everything on your mind ♪

♪ Don't be afraid ♪

♪ No one will ever know ♪

♪ Just trust in me ♪

♪ You should know it by now ♪

♪ That I care about you ♪

♪ Silence can just divide us ♪

♪ Silence would be alarmed so try ♪

♪ We're alone in the night ♪

(gentle music)

(door closing)

- Seven letter word means underarm feathers?

- No idea.

- Starts with a P.

- Beats me.

- No idea? Come on, no idea?

- I didn't know bird's had underarms.

- News to me, too.

- Last night's dinner's in the oven.

(indistinct) of course.

You can heat it up at 350.

It should moisten up in 10, 15 minutes.

- You wanna talk about it?

- No.

Even when we talk, we don't talk anymore.

(phone ringing)

- Yeah.

Like a streak, Arnold.

You betcha, boy.

I'm streaking your way the minute I hang up this phone.

Well, now look, Arnold, I just walked in the goddamn door.

Patty hasn't seen me for two days,

so I'll just be there as soon as I change my goddamn socks

and rancid underwear, okay?

Yeah. Bye.

(horn honking)

- Hello, Apology?

There's something that's been bothering me

that I really want to say.

I witnessed a crime in Penn Station that I didn't report,

someone being forced into a phone booth and robbed.

I feel very bad about not reporting it.

Bye.

Hello, Apology.

There's something that's been bothering me

that I really want to say.

I witnessed a crime in Penn Station that I didn't report,

someone being forced into a phone booth and robbed.

I feel very bad about not reporting it.

Bye.

(people chattering)

- Listen, this is a restricted area.

Okay, go ahead.

(people chattering)

- Told Arnold to let you get some sack time,

but Arnold's too damn good to listen.

I ever make lieutenant, first thing I'm gonna do

is I'm gonna stop listening to guys like me, too.

- Same MO? - Yeah.

What's the perp do with them,

turn 'em into little baseball bats?

Put batteries in 'em, you can make a novelty flashlight.

We're gonna catch this guy, you know,

and it is a problem we're gonna find four

1050 laminated wing wangs

of varying lengths and circumferences.

You realize that?

Look, I've been through the place.

You go on and make your own sweep and let's get some chow.

Okay?

- Yeah.

- (exclaims) Hi! - Hi!

- (smooches)How are you?

- I'm fine. How are you?

- I'm good.

- Lily. - Morning.

- Lily McGuire, Jean Robnett.

- Hello. Nice to meet you.

- Really love your work.

- What work?

- In Anna's room. - Ah.

- Well, 11 or so? - Fine.

- We're going down to Chinatown.

- I've heard of it.

- It was nice to meet you.

- Nice to meet you too, um..

- Jean. - Jean.

Oh, God.

So, tell me what you're doing.

- Same old stuff.

Playing basketball,

waiting to grow boobs like Georgia Gatsock,

waiting for Dad to throw a grenade into the middle

of my stunted adolescence-

- What grenade?

- Oh, come on, Mom.

He's gonna marry one of these subservient beauties

he keeps coming up with.

- How do you rate this one?

- Little for him, if you ask me.

- Anyone ask you?

- Are you kidding?

- What does he think? Your father?

- He thinks he's pretty hot stuff

because she thinks he's hot stuff.

- Listen, a couple of interesting shows opened

since last Saturday.

Wanna check 'em out?

- Not in the least.

- Come on, please?

- For you? Okay.

(people chattering)

- Patty Garettson, please.

- Hungate, phone call!

- In a minute! - Now!

- Hi.

Look, we got this same homicide this morning-

- [Patty] No, no more excuses. Goodbye.

- Hello? Hello?

- [Arnold] The faggalas

make me crazy on these schlong murders.

- That's Yiddish, right? Schlong, faggala?

What does that mean, schlong, faggala?

I think the homosexual community is putting pressure

on the good Lieutenant, Detective Hungate.

- Any suggestions, Arnold?

Lieutenant will have a clever suggestion forward as frank,

I'm sure, because he's a fucking ace cop.

- You've become very cute, Hungate.

- Well, I don't feel cute, Arnold.

- I'll leave everything else to Rodriguez and Conway.

You two get the schlong biter.

- We've got no leads, Arnold.

- Get some.

- What thinking.

That's why Arnold's a lieutenant, Frank.

- Easy on him, Arnold. He's still walking a tightrope.

- He's not the first cop killed somebody, Franklin.

- You're an asshole, Arnold.

Could you pass that on?

- Yeah.

- Come on, tell me what you think of this one.

- No more galleries, I just OD'ed.

- No, I got to. I got to stop by Phillip's.

- All right, one more'd be perfect.

- Right. Come on. - All right.

- This'll be fun, come on.

- Phillip okay now about you dumping him?

- No, and I'm not dumping him.

- Hi. Anna, how are you this week?

- Fine, Phil, thank you.

- How's the show going?

- It's coming. (mumbles)

- (laughs) I'm gonna miss this place, Philip.

- Yeah, but not enough to come back.

- Really walked into that one, didn't I?

- You must let me do a big show for you, darling,

at my 57th Street Gallery.

I'll find a big corporation to underwrite you

and make you a big superstar.

- You sound like Mom's new gallery guy.

- New gallery guy?

Paul Benzinger isn't some gallery guy.

He's a very important gallery guy.

- Turned on the phone last night.

- What is that supposed to be, reasonable compensation?

People all over the city, hearing my dulcet tone,

soliciting their true confessions?

You know, my parents would be very proud.

They wanted me to be a priest in the worst way.

I should've.

Remained a stranger to the charms of women.

(people chattering)

How many calls have you had?

- Five. - Five calls?

I wouldn't call five calls a promise of great success.

I don't know why you're screwing around

three weeks before your show anyway.

- Wait a minute, I don't get it.

Why are you keeping people's apologies?

- It's for my new piece.

You walk into it,

I was gonna have this confessional play,

you know, and have people rate it.

Venal sin, mortal sin, stuff like that.

And then I thought, why use a phony confession?

Why don't not just invite people to call in,

unload, and see what happens?

- Sounds real pretentious to me.

- Are you kidding? It is a marvelous gimmick.

Benzinger will make your mummy a fortune.

- Excuse me.

It's not a gimmick and it's not pretentious.

- What then?

Oh, as a means of understanding our fellow man

or ourselves.

- You know, it's not absolutely impossible, is it, Philip?

I mean, there's no law that says we have to go through life

being insensitive to each other.

How would you feel if you could just unload

everything that was inside of you?

And I heard it and other people heard it

and realized we weren't alone in our anger

and our guilt and our loneliness?

- [Roy] I think it would make a terrific story.

So I'd be very interested to talk to you

about your apology project.

Again, that's Roy Burnett, "The New York Press."

I hope you'll call me at (212) 555-7612.

- That's great.

- [Voice] I got pregnant without my husband knowing.

I gotta get rid of it.

I don't know what you can do or what anyone can do.

So I'm sorry for what I gotta do.

I'm a Catholic, bye. Thanks for listening.

- Hello? Hello, you all right?

Hello?

- What are you doing, hang up!

What are you doing?

- What do you mean? - You can't do that!

- Can't do what? She wanted you to help her!

- Oh, now look. That woman was not calling me, sweetie pie.

She wasn't expecting me to respond.

She was calling all those people

who will hear this when I use her call in piece.

- All those people?

Mom, she's pregnant.

She wanted to talk to someone now.

I don't see how you cannot help her.

(doorbell buzzing)

- Yep.

- Sorry we're late, lost track of the time.

- Um, Gordy, can Anna spend the night with me?

- Sure, that'll be fine.

- No!

- Anna, that's not fair.

- Since when do you believe in fair?

(door slamming)

- [Voice] Me, guilty. Hell, I'm not guilty.

The state's the one who should apologize.

Apologize. I mean, who are you?

Who set you up?

The CIA or some other damn common organization?

- [Caller] I got drunk,

because I'm disgusted with myself.

I got ruined. No one trusts me anymore.

And I'm a petty thief.

I can't go in anybody's house now without taking something.

God, I'm really sorry

for being a pile of crap of a person I am.

Sometimes I'm sorry for just being alive,

I just wish I could crawl in a hole and just stay there.

I'm sorry.

(eerie music)

(footsteps lightly thudding)

- [Caller] Gee, I don't know how to start.

I've never heard or, you know,

did anything like this before.

I've been feeling guilty about some things,

for the different bad things I've done in my past.

But the opportunity you've given me to apologize

and tell these people that I'm sorry,

well, it's.. (laughs)

It's wonderful.

Because then I won't have to feel guilty anymore, right?

So, well, I'll tell you,

going all the way back when I was 15,

I raped my cousin, Reba.

What do I do now? Just say I'm sorry?

I'm sorry, Reba. (laughs)

Oh, this is terrific.

I tell you, this has bothered me.

This is a great service.

Wait. Well, I've gotta go.

I'm not supposed to be up here now, but this is great,

so I'm gonna call you again and tell you the rest,

and so you'll know it's me, I'll say Claude here.

My God, you're great. (laughs)

I feel better already. (laughs)

(people chattering)

(door closing)

(water running)

I'm telling you, this is the greatest service

in the history of the planet.

Sir, sir, whoever you are, this is fantastic.

Just thinking about the things I can tell you now,

I feel such a weight off my shoulders.

I'm Claude, your number one fan.

(people chattering)

- My name is Alex Callino and I've beat homosexuals up.

I take money off 'em.

Sometimes I let 'em take me to their apartments

and I, I kill 'em.

They're the scum of the earth. They're sick.

I think they should all be done away with.

Tell you the truth, that's my goal in this fucking life.

I ain't sorry. - $15,

I told you lady.

(horn honking) (Lily screaming)

- You stupid bitch, watch where you're goin'!

- Oh, God.

- [Anna] Yes, hello.

Um, I just wanted to apologize

for getting on my mother's case last night.

I think I understand what she's trying to do

and, you know, maybe it's not just a pretentious idea.

I hope I didn't ruin her beauty sleep or anything.

Well, that said, thanks. Bye, Mommy.

(device whirring)

- Yes, hello, this is Roy Burnett again,

with "The New York Press."

Look, I called before

and I'd still like to talk to you about this

apology project.

555-7612.

Come on, what do you say?

Little publicity wouldn't hurt business, would it?

(device whirring)

(people chattering)

Hi.

- Hello.

- I gotta tell you,

a lot of men would be very surprised

to find out that you're a woman.

It's just not the gender we associate

with the old confessional booth, you know?

- Well, that's why I borrowed a male voice

for the old answering machine.

- Ah.

So no names, no physical descriptions.

Any other ground rules for me?

- No, can't think of any.

- Well, then it's all right

if the interviewer finding the subject very attractive

comes onto her just a little bit?

- Sure.

- So how'd this all get started?

- I really hate talking about why I do what I do.

It always sounds like such horseshit.

- Now, a project like this,

I figure you're one of these artists

who is out to save the world.

- No, that's best left to politicians and late adolescents.

I'm the kind of artist who's trying to save herself.

- Oh?

Anybody confess to anything we're not all guilty of?

- Well, I have a lady who steals her

neighbor's "New Yorker" every week.

- No, I mean, you know,

murders, rapists, child molesters, things like that.

- Well, I did have a call this morning.

I don't know if the guy was trying to scare me,

but a man confessed to killing gays.

And even though the message was very clear not to,

he left his name.

- How does he kill 'em, with a blunt instrument?

- I don't know.

- And then he cuts off their penises.

There've been five gays murdered just like that

in the last six weeks.

Listen, how'd you like to help a fellow win a Pulitzer?

Give me that name.

- I can't do that. - Why the hell not?

- Because- - Listen.

This isn't just a little artistic experiment

you're dealing with, this is murder.

- Look, I don't know whether this guy

was trying to scare me.

I mean, I have no idea.

- All right, well, let's find out. You and me together.

You started this, let's go through with it.

This could be great for both of us.

Come on. - No.

I made a mistake. - No, where you going?

- I shouldn't have done this.

- [Roy] Well, you want to talk, huh?

(dishes crashing)

Wait a minute. - I'm sorry.

- [Roy] Wait a minute, wait a minute. I'm just kidding.

Hey, let's have dinner!

- Taxi!

Okay, lower, more. Come on.

Come on, come on, come on.

More, more, more. There, good.

All right. Stops there.

You hear the confession,

"I'm sorry for whatever, yada, yada, yada."

Confession ends and piece goes up.

Come on. Come on, up. Go.

Okay, you walk on through.

And the next one comes down right here.

Good! It's gonna be good.

- That's what you want now? - Yeah, yeah.

I think it is.

- Yeah, I think? Lily.

- Is the right time? I gotta get outta here.

Can you have those others rigged by tomorrow?

- Do I have a choice?

Lily, for Christ's sake, stop screwing with the damn thing.

- I just gotta make them feel what I felt

when I heard these things.

I gotta make it right.

- Well,

no offense, but you're really screwing it up.

- Give me a break.

- Look, wait a minute.

You asked me up here for my opinion. That's it.

You had something that was clear and simple

and this is all confused and it's getting away from you.

You don't wanna hear what I have to say, fine.

Bye, Lily!

- Philip!

Don't go!

Please.

- Philip, stay. Philip, go.

Which, Lily? I don't know what you want from me.

- I want us to be friends.

- Oh, for Christ's sake, Lily. Are you kidding?

I mean, don't you think that's a bit unlikely at this point?

- Then what are you doing here, huh?

What did you come here for?

- [Roy] Hello, this is Roy Burnett

from "The New York Press."

Hey, look, no more Mr. Nice guy, Ms. Apology.

You're not gonna let me nail this guy,

I'm gonna go to the cops

and I'll do everything in this coming issue to nail you.

Look, you got 'til noon tomorrow.

And hey, I apologize, huh?

- What's that about? - Nothing.

- Right, don't tell me.

- I got a call from someone who confessed

to killing homosexuals.

And he left a name.

- He left a name?

- Yeah! Yes, he left a name. Yes.

- Well, you gotta go to the cops.

- It's not that simple.

- Aren't we talking about murder here?

- I don't know! Maybe!

I get calls all the time from people

who confess robbery, rape, incest.

- Did they leave their names?

- I don't think that's the point. Is it, Philip?

I mean, is that the point?

- What are you afraid of, huh?

That nobody's gonna call anymore?

That your show is gonna close before it opens?

In the marvelous Benzinger Gallery?

- You know, you could try to help me!

- You have the name of a murderer and I am the bad guy!

I understand, perfectly!

(door slamming) (tense music)

- [Rad] Watch your back.

- She's out there.

- She who?

- Her.

- Oh, yeah?

- [Lily] Yes?

- Yes, Detective Hungate, 74th precinct.

I'd like to talk to you, if I may.

- [Lily] About what?

- Guess. (doorbell buzzing)

(footsteps lightly thudding)

- Hello, Detective Hungate.

Mind if I come in?

- Yeah, I think I do.

- I got a search warrant.

- Let me see it. - I can get a search warrant.

- What would you be searching for with your warrant?

- Tape with a man's name on it.

- How'd you find me?

- [Hungate] It didn't take a lot of ingenuity.

- Is this legal?

- As long as you invite me in.

- I'm not inviting you in.

- I'll be back with a warrant.

- I erased it!

- No, you didn't.

Look, what do you say you invite me in, we just talk.

Okay?

- You won't try and seize anything?

- Without a warrant, no, ma'am.

That'd be contrary to acceptable police procedure.

- I do them small first.

And then if I like them,

I have them executed full size by fabricator.

It's..

It's like a building contractor.

I give him the blueprints and he makes the buildings.

See? This is the piece I'm working on now.

- Somebody's gonna buy that for their living room?

- The big ones are always commissions.

This is gonna be my show.

Then it moves on to a permanent installation.

There's a piece over here I think you'd really appreciate.

Grab the glass ball.

Go on.

- Just grab it?

I dig, you gotta be quick, huh?

- That's right.

- Okay.

(Lily laughing)

Cute.

All righty.

- It doesn't like to be violated.

- Now there's a way out of this

or is it gonna start to consume me

while you dance around here, humming incantations?

- Nobody's managed it, but yeah, there's a way out.

- [Caller] Well, I don't know how to say this,

but I should apologize for urinating on someone.

Actually, it was a drunk sleeping in a doorway.

I haven't been able to stand myself since.

Hope this makes me feel better.

- What's your story, lady?

- Give up?

- Look, why don't you save yourself

a whole lot of grief here and just give me the tape, huh?

I can get a subpoena from the DA.

Now you go before a grand jury,

withholding possible evidence in a capital case,

you're obstructing justice.

You go to the slammer.

Can you deal with that?

Well, look, let me tell you something.

This guy on the phone is a goddamn lunatic.

Now, I'm very sorry to hurl real life

into the middle of your little pretend world here.

See, this may be art to you, but it's mind fucking games

and bullshit to me.

So you're gonna give me that tape

or I'm gonna make life miserable for you.

You decide.

- Why don't you get outta here? Please.

Do whatever you have to do.

- [Claude] Hi, Claude again.

You remember I told you about my cousin when I was 15?

Well, the year after that, I killed this kid, Louis.

Bashed his head in with my Louisville slugger. (laughs)

I got away with it!

But I wanna apologize to Louis.

I'm sorry, Louis. (laughs)

There, God, I feel good.

This is some incredible, wonderful service

you're running here.

- Why would anybody want to solicit this stuff?

- I didn't think I was gonna get this stuff.

- Just hope to make a little safe contact with reality, huh?

- I intended to do something helpful, not hurtful.

- Ms. McGuire, you may think you're gonna stay remote

from all this, but if I was you,

I'd take this telephone answering machine

and turn it over to your local sanitation engineer.

I'll be back with a subpoena.

(traffic rushing)

- And then you ordered the suspect to drop his weapon?

- Yes, sir.

- But he didn't.

- No.

- What did he do?

- Well, he cursed me.

- Cursed you? - Yes, sir.

- In what way?

- He said, "What else do you want, honky motherfucker?"

And he fired a shot at me.

- Did the racial slur incite you to return the fire?

- No, sir, racial epithets of any sort

don't incite me at all anymore.

- [Lawyer] Go on.

- He stepped out from behind the car,

holding the girl's dead body to shield him

and he fired again.

I fired. - In self-defense.

- Yeah.

- To wound.

- No.

- Yes, thank you. I'll send him right in.

Detective Hungate, the District Attorney will see you now.

- Thank you.

- I can't do it.

The ACLU would have me in court

before the ink was dry, okay?

Hungate, I got 35 seconds. You look like shit.

How was the grand jury?

- I don't know.

- Trust me, Hungate. They're not gonna do anything.

You've been a year older,

they wouldn't be wasting the city's money,

going through the motions.

- Yeah, yeah, yeah. - What do you want?

- Look, I need a subpoena for a tape

that I think may be very relevant

in this homosexual and bludgeoning murder.

- Check with me tomorrow.

- Somebody may bite it before tomorrow.

- Doubtful.

The 116 just took him an hour ago.

- The 116 got him? - Mm-hmm.

Evidence, confession.

Looks like it's all gonna stand up.

- No shit.

- Yeah, well that's the brakes, boyo.

Let me see what we got and I'll let you know.

- Well, what was he?

Black, white, old, young?

I mean, what the hell was he?

- Cuban. One of Castro's gifts.

Relax for an hour, Hungate. You look like death.

You know, you're a good cop.

Get your shit back in shape.

And here, smoke a decent cigar.

Doesn't smell like camel shit.

(door closing)

(person speaking indistinctly)

- I'll take a rain check.

- [Lily] Yes?

- Yeah, Detective Hungate, subpoena.

(doorbell buzzing)

- Where is it?

Subpoenas often smell like delicatessen?

- Depends upon the disposition of the DA.

Some of 'em smell like kitty litter.

Now you get one of those,

you know you're dealing with hostile forces.

You look very nice.

- Well, I'm going to one of my bullshit art openings.

You look pretty out of character yourself.

- Yeah, well, grand jury appearance.

You wanna join me in eating the subpoena?

- No. I don't think so.

- Or I could go with you to this opening

or get something to eat later.

- Dutch treat?

- Hell, you can pay for the whole meal

as far as I'm concerned.

Here.

- What is that?

- Pastrami, swiss, couple bottles of beer.

- No pickle?

- Next time.

- Yeah, sure.

- Don't you artsy crafty types ever smile?

Not the corners of your mouth curl up,

looks sort of like this?

- Oh.

- That's very nice.

I wonder also if they ever say thank you.

- Thank you?

What, for instance?

- Oh, like for instance, a compliment, say.

- I don't recall hearing one.

- I said you looked very nice tonight

and you either defended or excused yourself

by saying you had to go to an opening.

- Why should I thank you for implying

I looked like hell the first time you saw me?

One smile for you.

- And two for you.

(traffic rushing)

No obligation.

Gee wilikers, limos and everything, huh?

- There are some people who take what we do seriously.

- [Rad] What's she appealing for?

- This is what's called a live performance piece.

Let's find out.

(people chattering)

- Philip. - Lily.

- This is Rad Hungate.

- Philip Treness.

- How do you do? - How do you do?

(people chattering)

- Isn't this something?

- It's absolutely amazing.

- I think so. This is really something.

But the thing I want to know,

I don't understand what she's appealing for.

You know?

I mean, I think that's the meat and potatoes issue here.

You know what I mean?

No offense to the stuff in place.

That just boggles my mind, what she's appealing for.

You know what she's appealing for?

- Understanding. - Ah, or sympathy.

- Well, sympathy's acceptable.

- Or pity? - Very good, Mr. Hungate.

- Detective.

- I beg your pardon?

- Very good, Detective Hungate.

- Detective Hungate. Did you give him the name?

- No.

- Boy, this is great.

- [Crowd] Shh!

- Yeah, sorry, I realize this is something

to approach with the reverence, you know.

If I'd have missed this, I'd have slit my throat.

- You're not obliged to like it, Detective Hungate.

In fact, nobody gives a good goddamn

whether you like it or not.

(people chattering)

- And for six months, this guy is running around midtown,

jumping all his secretaries on the noon hour

and we can't catch him.

And then all of a sudden, a retired detective in Brooklyn

comes home from a vacation, reads about it in the newspaper,

says, "Hey, I busted a guy doing that 10 years ago."

And that's our boy.

Now, they kept more of these older guys around,

would've had this guy in two days instead of six months.

I'll tell you the truth,

I about run outta gas with all of it anyway lately, so..

- Why don't you do something else?

- I'd like to.

- Why don't you?

- [Rad] What would I do?

- Um, what would you like to do?

- Beats the hell outta me. Something different.

But I'll tell you this,

you don't have to be too long on this job

to realize you can't change anybody.

- What about criminals?

Do you always get them?

- More often than not, sometimes we don't.

Sometimes, unfortunately, they're a lot smarter than us

and then they have guns and shoot at us.

- Anyone ever shoot at you?

- [Rad] Yeah.

- You shoot back?

Kill anyone?

- Once.

- Was it a long time ago?

- No, as a matter of fact, that's what I was doing

before the grand jury this morning.

I was there because they were investigating

whether or not I'd interfered with the civil rights

of a 15-year-old boy who put two slugs into the brain

of his 13-year-old girlfriend

and was trying to shoot me before taking a jet to Honolulu,

where he anticipated receiving asylum.

- What did they decide?

- That I'm innocent.

That in killing him,

I in fact did not interfere with his civil rights.

- [Waiter] Thank you. Come again.

- Dutch treat. Remember?

- Okay. Give me 16 bucks.

(siren wailing)

She doesn't live with you anymore?

- I lost the custody suit.

- Oh, I thought mothers usually win those.

- To quote the judge,

my lifestyle is not the most conducive

to healthy growth for a child.

You wanna come up for coffee?

- No, I don't think so. Thank you.

- Isn't this where the handsome officer

tries to seduce the tape recording

out of the irresponsible artist?

- They caught the guy earlier today.

- They got him? - Yeah.

- Well, who was it? - I don't know, a Cuban guy.

I don't know the guy's name.

- You lied to me.

- No, no, I didn't. I just didn't tell you the truth.

You're a real nice smiler, you know that?

And a hell of a laugh, in case nobody ever told you.

- This is an unsolicited caution.

- Caution away.

- I was never very good at

the so-called meaningful relationship.

- I know just what you mean.

Good night.

- Good night.

- And the mother says, "Where are you going? He had a hat."

(people laughing)

- Lily, come sit down. - I gotta talk to you.

- Talk.

- They caught him.

- Caught who?

- They caught him! Come here.

He's not my caller.

He's Cuban. Mine's American, he has no accent.

- Well, congratulations.

It should be a great burden off your shoulders.

Come on, come on, sit down.

I'm just moving into my recent-

- I gotta go.

Stop it! - Bye.

She used to be a rabbi.

- [Claude] Well, you've got old Claude in a tizzy, a daze.

I'm reading "The New York Press," like always,

and here's this article about my pal, Apology.

Well, not only does this report to do a hatchet job

on my pal, but he informs me my pal isn't a pal.

He's a palette. You're a girl. (laughs)

So listen, I'm gonna kill this son of a bitch for you.

(keys dialing)

- [Voice] New York Press, editorial.

- Roy Burnett, please.

- [Roy] Hello?

- This is Apology.

- So you didn't like my article, huh?

- Look, don't be so defensive, I haven't even read it yet.

I just thought I should call you.

Some strange guy just called

and threatened to do something to you,

because of the article you wrote.

- [Roy] What are you, being cute? Don't try to scare me.

- Cute? I'm not being cute.

Some guy just called me-

Hello?

Hello?

What do you think?

30 seconds?

I don't know, I mean,

I can keep the person in here all day long,

but the point is to make them apologize,

not yell to get out.

- Try it for 30 seconds.

If it doesn't work, you'll change it.

You sick?

- Why?

- You're shaking.

- I'm not.

- I can see you shaking.

- I'm not.

I'm fine.

- That's what I said, you were great.

- [Caller] I know it's late, but the guilty don't sleep.

I wish I could talk to you personally.

I'm a 22-year-old male virgin,

I really don't know how to win a girl, a woman.

I'm really afraid I never will.

And I think I'm gonna take my life.

Oh, couldn't you help me, please?

I mean, I'd appreciate your advice, sir.

I know that's not part of the deal, is it?

So I guess that's not what I should do.

- Hello? This is Apology.

How can I help you?

- [Caller] What? You're not Apology, you're a woman!

How could you do this? A woman!

You're not a priest, you can't be.

You cheek, you dishonest bitch! You bitch.

I'm gonna put up posters all over the city,

telling that Apology isn't a man, he's a fucking-

(dramatic music)

- Yeah, he's a reporter for "The New York Press."

What is it?

My glasses are in the car.

Why don't you just summarize the good parts?

- Hi. This is my partner, Frank Leventhal.

- Lady.

- You didn't have to come up.

I called you this morning to tell you about a call

I received from some guy who,

I mean, I'm sure he didn't mean it,

but he threatened to kill a reporter

who did an article on me.

What's going on?

- Look, why don't we go inside and talk, okay?

- What is she, nuts or what?

- Frank.

We're gonna have to have you identify

all these Claude calls, Lily.

We'll take the tapes downtown and have them lifted out.

All right? Here.

Lily, you are gonna give us these tapes now?

- The sooner, the better.

- [Caller] Yeah, listen to me.

I'm too scared to talk about it now,

but I'll call you again tomorrow.

Bye.

- Something to look forward to.

- What else can I do?

- Now you want to help?

- Frank, lay off, huh?

- Can I help?

- Yeah, don't try to help.

- Hey, Frank!

- Hey! Excuse me!

- Tapes.

- Hi, it's me again.

- (gasps) This is him!

It's him.

- [Claude] You can forget about that son of a bitch

writing any more hatchet jobs about anybody.

Oh, I know, I know, I know.

"Thank you, Claude. Thank you, thank you."

Okay, you're ready, you're welcome. (laughs)

Okay, I gotta run, closing up. Don't wanna walk down.

Bye-bye.

- Closing up, don't wanna walk down.

- Building's closing. What time is it?

- My watch says a couple of minutes before six.

Don't wanna walk down, tall building.

No, no, no, no, no, no.

Now we're the ones that have to hear it.

- And my father owned it.

I worked there for a while.

- That's neat. And you like living here now?

- Anna.

- You make choices.

- Anna, what are you doing here?

- I came to see you.

- Get in the house now, please.

- I wasn't doing nothing, lady.

- Bye.

- I wasn't doing nothing.

(door slamming)

- So what's going on?

- My father's about to now.

He wants my blessing to marry Jean Jean the Lima Bean.

See, I knew it.

You don't want him to, do you?

- I'm simply startled by the announcement.

- You don't want him to marry her, do you?

- No.

- How come?

- Same reason you don't want to, she's a dorf.

- Dork, not dorf.

- Right.

She's a major dork.

- She is a major dork.

But she has big boobs.

- Especially for a short person.

- She's almost as short as I am.

- You know, you're gonna tower over her in a year or two.

Boy, will that embarrass your father.

- I think he really loves her.

- Well,

then he should marry her.

- I know.

(tape rewinding)

- What do you got for me, Carl?

- Well,

I've taken down the voice,

pushed up the background sound.

Now what's this?

- I don't know what it is.

- No idea.

- What do you mean, no idea?

- I have no idea what it is.

What's it sound like to you?

- Sounds like whoosh-whoosh to me.

- Strange, sounds like whoosh-whoosh to me, too.

- How the hell can it sound like whoosh-whoosh to you?

You're a goddamn audio scientist.

- I am. You're right, okay.

That's the benefit of years of experience.

- Yeah. - Piano.

- A piano?

Funny, doesn't sound like a piano to me.

- That's why you're a cop and I'm a scientist.

- Look, can you lift the whole thing off by itself,

put it on a cassette?

- Yeah.

I'll turn it down in a couple hours.

- Thanks a lot.

- Anytime, Rad.

- [Claude] Claude here.

Gee, I can get away for about an hour.

I don't even know if you're there now,

but gee, I'd like to meet with you,

because I know you're the most wonderful person

on the face of this, well, not very nice Earth.

God, I feel like a teenager.

Could you meet me, you think,

maybe at the Gulf Coast Restaurant at 12th and West Streets

in 15, 20 minutes?

Sit at the first table near the cashier.

If it's occupied, wait for it to become available.

God, I hope you can come.

- Detective Hungate.

What about his partner?

Tell him to call Lily at home. Hurry.

(dramatic music)

- Can't you wait 'til I finish?

- I'll do it, sweetie. Let's not get so excited.

What'll it be?

- Oh, tea. Lemon, please.

- All righty.

(phone ringing)

Afternoon, Gold Coast Restaurant.

Who?

I'm sorry, sir, it's not our policy

to give personal phone calls to patrons.

Ms. Apology?

Ms. Apology?

- Yeah.

I tell them not to call me here.

Yeah.

- [Claude] Hi, it's Claude.

I know this is crummy, but I'm too nervous.

I can't let you see me now.

God, you're even prettier than I imagined.

How can anybody be so beautiful inside and out?

- You can see me? Where are you?

- The thing is, I killed Willie

because he called me a geek.

I mean, what if you looked at me

and you couldn't help yourself from laughing or saying,

"Holy cow, you're some geek boy."

- Oh, God.

Taxi!

Taxi!

Uptown. - Uptown?

East uptown, West uptown, way uptown?

- Just go.

(dramatic music)

Turn right.

Turn right again.

(dramatic music)

Run it.

(driver speaking indistinctly)

Run it!

- [Driver] Hey, come on, I don't want another ticket.

Green light. Where to now, lady?

Up, down, East, West, what?

- Prince. Prince Street.

(Lily screaming)

- I've been waiting for you.

- Not now, Philip, please.

- Oh, you're upset about the reporter guy, huh?

- My bright true confession got that man killed!

And now the killer's stalking me.

- [Philip] Oh, come on, Lil, don't overdo it.

- This lunatic named Claude has set me up

and now he knows what I look like!

- Lil, how can you take a killer named Claude seriously,

really?

- You know, Philip,

everything is not the source of a joke. (indistinct)

- Now just-

I left a frozen margarita to come over here

to tell you that my humble little stinking gallery

is always available to you

if the faith uptown should dump on you.

- I don't mean to be cruel.

- Go on, be cruel. Go on.

- I don't trust your motives anymore.

And I want you to leave me alone.

- You ran.

Why did you run, buddy?

Now what am I supposed to think?

I don't know what to think!

I'm very confused. I don't like this!

(door slamming)

- Okay? So what now?

(eerie music)

- I just don't know.

(footsteps lightly thudding) (tense music)

(ominous music)

- [Officer] 74th Precinct.

- Detective Hungate, please.

- [Officer] Speak up, lady.

- Detective Hungate, please.

- [Rad] Hungate.

- It's me.

He's been here.

He must have followed me.

He asked me to meet him at this restaurant.

- Are you all right? - Mm-hmm, I'm fine.

- [Rad] I'll be right there.

- Okay. (ominous music)

(siren wailing)

(doorbell buzzing)

Yes. - It's me.

- I think he went through this window.

I've already looked at the glass.

- You came in here and searched this place alone?

- [Lily] Yes.

- Oh, man.

Look, you should have left that address

of that restaurant at the precinct.

- I know.

- Well, why didn't you?

- I don't know.

- Well, you're stupid!

Or else maybe you think you gotta make up

for all this yourself?

- Yeah.

- Now listen to me.

Listen. You know the best way for you to help here?

- Don't help.

- You all right?

- No.

(Lily moaning)

(ominous music) (lips smooching)

(Lily moaning) (ominous music)

Oh, God.

(ominous music)

- Freeze!

Hold it!

(Philip yelling)

- What happened?

- Yeah, Frank, get an ambulance,

come over to Lily McGuire's, we just got Claude.

That's right, pal.

(ominous music)

(siren wailing)

- I don't understand any of this.

I mean, Philip could always fool me with his voice.

He could always

make me think he was someone else on the phone.

But he couldn't kill anyone, could he?

- Sure he could.

Anybody could.

Don't do this to yourself.

(clock chiming)

I have to go.

Okay? (sirens wailing)

(Rad speaking indistinctly)

- [Claude] You ran.

Why did you run, Lily? What am I supposed to think?

I don't know what to think.

I'm very confused. I don't like this!

(machine clattering)

(dramatic music)

Okay, I gotta run, closing up.

Don't wanna walk down. Bye-bye.

- Closing up, don't wanna walk down.

Don't wanna walk. It's gotta be a clock tower.

- Yeah. Could be a clock tower.

- So what's a guy who owns an art gallery

doing at a clock tower?

- Just a wild guess. Setting his watch?

- He called from the cafe at 12th Street in the West.

Any clock towers around there?

- Don't do geography, Radford. Just funny noises.

- [Frank] The guy had every motive in the world.

- [Rad] It's not the ex-boyfriend, Frank.

- Then who the hell is it?

- I think it's a guy who works in clock towers

or on tower clocks or its Quasimodo.

- Who? - Look, just say for a second,

it was one of the first callers, right?

That means he didn't hear about it.

He saw the poster.

Now she didn't post any above Penn Station.

I'd like to check out every clock tower

from 34th Street down to the battery.

- That sounds like a doggone lot of fun, Rad.

Where is this guy?

- Oh, he's on vacation. - Where'd he go?

- No idea.

If goes on vacation, one thing he don't do,

he don't tell no one where he's going.

- 'Cause then you could call him up

and ask him questions like, "Who's working on the clock?"

- Exactly right.

I know, though, the guy that was working on it

finished a couple, three days ago.

- You ever see this guy?

- Sure.

Always know who's in the building.

Make it my business.

- What does this fellow look like?

- Big guy. Tall.

- Big, tall guy? That's it?

Any particular color?

- White.

- White.

Big, tall, white guy.

That narrows it down.

How big and tall was he?

- Don't really recall.

- Sort of your standard, big, tall, white guy?

Wow, thanks. You've been a big help.

- Say, look, you can do us a big favor.

You can find the super, find out where this guy is.

- Take a detective to find him.

- Anybody can do it, you can.

- Yeah. - Absolutely.

- Good morning, Ms. McGuire.

- Hello. Is Mr. Benzinger busy?

- I'll check.

- You're having me on, right?

- Nope.

I'm not finishing it.

- What is the centerpiece of your show?

- There's not gonna be a show.

Too many pieces have been destroyed, too much has happened.

I don't want a show. I can't have a show.

- Don't tell me that.

- I'm sorry. Apology's finished.

Maybe I am too.

At least until I can figure out what I'm doing, that's it.

- If it is, you're going to be very sorry.

- Oh.

I'm already very sorry.

(tense music)

- Oh, hello. - Hi.

Um, I was uptown and I thought

maybe I could drop by and take Anna for lunch.

- Oh, sure. Come on in.

(people chattering)

- It's Lily!

She was in the neighborhood.

- Wow, hi. - Hi.

- Bet it's been a spell since you've been

north of 14th Street.

Take your coat?

- What's that supposed to mean?

- [Anna] Fight, fight!

- It means we usually take our coats off on indoors.

- Would you like to sit down?

- Is there a charge?

- Ha ha ha.

- What's so funny?

- Old joke.

- I'm making some cocoa. Can I get you a cup?

- Yeah.

I don't think I've had cocoa

since the last time I ventured before 10th Street.

- Certainly in very high spirits today, are we?

- Gordy.

You were never a very good judge of my moods, were you?

Eat that last piece of squid.

- Squid? I hate it.

It tastes like volleyball.

You.

You've earned it.

- What do you mean? - I don't know.

You just seem like someone

who needs an extra piece of squid.

- Okay.

(tense music)

- Yeah, I'm sure.

Bum was killed the same way the reporter was.

- Whoever he is, he's still out there.

- Yep.

- I knew Philip couldn't kill anyone.

- [Frank] Okay, everybody, please stay in back.

Behind you, coming through.

Thank you very much.

- Well, I'll leave a guy by the door,

and I think our best bet is to stick with the clocks.

Why don't you take the top half the list,

I'll try to start with the bottom.

- [Claude] Good, you've turned it back on.

I'm really sorry about that bum, I sure do apologize,

but when I called this morning over and over

and got no answer, I began to suspect

you were trying to avoid me and that made me mad, Lillian.

I know you can't avoid me.

You're always as accessible as I want you to be.

And now,

I'm gonna have to determine

whether I've punished you enough

or more discipline is required.

- There we go.

Months ago,

periodic clock maintenance.

CB Kenley.

- Great. Do you know what he looked like?

- No, I wasn't working here then. No idea.

- Well, the previous super would know that, wouldn't he?

How can I get in touch with him?

- Get a pipeline to heaven.

- Well, how about anybody else around here?

They know what he looked like?

- Well, I don't think so, but I could ask around.

- Great, you got an address and telephone number

for this Kenley guy?

- Just a PO box number.

- Alright, I'll take that.

- You got it? - Yep.

- Thanks a lot. You've been a big help.

- [Officer] 605, come in. L605, come in.

- L605 Central, go ahead.

- Lieutenant Goodson, hold on.

- Hey, Gold Shield. I'm gonna be a Goldie one of these days.

Carry a Magnum, man.

I wanna kick some ass.

- Hungate. - Here, Arnold.

- [Arnold] Your junior detective buddy

down on Broadway just called.

He found the super, the son of a bitch was fishing.

Do you believe that? Someone on vacation, fishing?

- Yeah, Arnold, but look,

did he tell you who worked on the clock?

- [Arnold] Yeah, a guy named CB Kenley.

No address, no phone number.

- Okay, listen Arnold, I need a favor.

Can you get me a warrant on a post office box seizure?

- [Arnold] You got it, Hungate.

- That's great. 10-4.

(suspenseful music)

(suspenseful music continues)

(engine rumbling)

- [Claude] Where are you, Lily?

Where'd you go with that cop?

Well, I don't believe this.

Oh, what are you doing with that cop, huh?

Am I unhappy. There's gonna be hell to pay for this, Lily.

(phone ringing)

- Hungate. - Yeah.

- [Officer] Looks like he got another one.

Art gallery on 57th, guy named Benzinger.

- Huh? - Paul Benzinger.

- He killed Paul Benzinger.

- Oh my God.

He must have followed me to Anna's.

(siren wailing)

- [Officer] The kid's not here,

but there's been a forcible entry.

- Stay here. Just stay with her, come with me.

Where? - Straight upstairs.

- You been inside? - Yeah, it's clean.

- Well, you've figured it out

just like I knew you would, Lily.

If I followed you to the art gallery,

I followed you to the little girl, right?

And here you are.

- Get outside, check this neighborhood.

He's gotta be in a phone inside of this building, go!

- Where's my daughter?

- I've never said I'm sorry to someone

before I committed a crime, Lily.

But I'm saying it now.

I'm gonna kill you, Lillian.

But I'm saying I'm sorry, so that makes it all right.

A lot of people live their lives and never do any good.

You at least will die knowing you made one person happy, me.

I mean, isn't that worth a lifetime? One person's happiness.

- Where's my daughter? (Claude chuckling)

- Got it. Claude B. Kenley.

249 Wabash Avenue, the Bronx.

- All right, we're going up there.

Get us a clearance.

- I'll get you some backup.

- We can handle it, Arnold!

- Go, I got you covered.

- Look, if he's got them, he's got them up there,

I'll bring them back.

(suspenseful music)

(horn honking) (suspenseful music)

- He's not here, I feel it.

- Let's kick it down.

I never liked this part.

Shit.

- That was good.

(glass shattering)

(suspenseful music)

- A very big guy, 44 long. This guy's about 6'4, 6'5.

He uses the same spray to keep his clothes

from pitting out as Arnold.

Jesus, wouldn't it be great if the perp was Arnold?

- Bingo.

Frank. - Yeah?

- Got a list of buildings here.

Six of them.

Now we checked all these. He's not working these.

Prince Street, Sullivan Street.

Let's stake the place out.

- 74th Precinct. - Excuse me.

(phone ringing)

This is L605 Central, over.

- [Officer] Go ahead, L605.

- Yeah, this is Hungate and Leventhal here.

We need a stakeout unit at 249 Wabash Avenue.

That's one block east off Grand Concourse, over.

- [Officer] We'll be there shortly. Out.

(people chattering)

- [Arnold] Hungate called.

It's the right guy, but nobody's there.

- What do you do next?

- [Arnold] Wait.

- Here they come.

Let's go.

- How much longer?

- No idea.

- What are we waiting for?

- For our boy to make his next move.

- His next move may be my child!

If you're not gonna do something about this, I will.

- Right.

Sit down, lady. Please let us do our job.

- Arrest me! - Or what?

- Right.

Don't tell me what to do.

- Jesus H Christ. Follow her!

(suspenseful music)

- This is Apology and this is for Claude.

You want me?

I'll be at 641 West 35th.

You come and get me.

- Hey. (Lily exclaiming)

(suspenseful music)

(Lily gasping)

(dial spinning)

- This is Apology and this is for Claude.

You want me, I'll be at 641 West 35th.

You come and get me.

(dramatic music)

(people chattering)

- Where is she? Where is she?

Hey! Hey, where is she?

- I don't know.

- Arnold, where is she?

- She took off. - What?

- About 35 minutes ago.

- Well, what do you mean took off?

- Relax, relax.

Randolph says she's in the loft.

- Great.

(people chattering)

(suspenseful music)

(ominous music)

What the hell is her private number?

- What? - What?

No, I'm just, I'm just talking to myself.

- Bad habit.

- Yeah, I know.

(ominous music)

(phone ringing) (TV playing)

- Yes Operator, this is Detective Hungate.

74th precinct, badge 671.

I need an emergency interrupt on that number now.

(machine whirring)

(doorbell buzzing)

(suspenseful music)

(ominous music)

- Mom!

- Anna!

Anna, come here!

- What's the matter?

- Come here!

- [Anna] Mom!

(ominous music)

- Go! - Why?

- Go!

(ominous music)

- Hello, Lily.

Claude's here.

(door slamming)

(metal crashing) (tense music)

(ominous music)

Come on, Lily.

Say you're sorry.

"I'm so sorry, Claudie."

(torch flickering)

Tell me you're sorry for living a life of deceit.

Say, "Oh Claudie, I apologize."

That's all you gotta do. Apologize.

And everything will be hunky dory, right?

Nope, wrong.

You're dead, Lillian.

(Lily gasping) (suspenseful music)

- Lily! Lily!

(flames bursting) (Anna screaming)

(Claude shouting)

(Claude shouting)

(dramatic music)

(Anna screaming)

(Claude shouting) (gun firing)

(police chattering)

(melancholic music)

- Hello.

This is Apology and this is my own.

I began this project impulsively.

I was disconnected from everything around me.

I was so involved in what I was doing,

I forgot I was dealing with people's lives.

No apology can make up for

the terrible things that happened.

I now realize everything I do as an artist

and as a person touches the lives of those around me.

I can't ever let them be separate again.

- [Philip] Hello. This is Apology.

Apology is not associated with the police

or any other organization,

but rather is a way for you to tell people

what you have done wrong and how you feel about it.

All statements received by Apology will be made public,

so please do not identify yourself.

Talk for as long as you like.

Thank you.

(gentle music)

♪ You stay in the dark ♪

♪ Say what you want to say ♪

♪ Lose your control ♪

♪ Tell me all that you feel ♪

♪ Tell me all that you know ♪

♪ Tell me what's on your mind ♪

♪ And don't be afraid ♪

♪ No one can ever know ♪

♪ Just trust in me ♪

♪ You should know it by now ♪

♪ That I care about you ♪

♪ Silence can just divide us ♪

♪ Silence will be alarmed so try ♪

♪ We're alone in the night ♪

♪ Ain't no one coming ♪

♪ Free what you want inside ♪

♪ Free what you feel inside ♪

♪ You've got nothing to hide ♪

♪ Tell me all that you know ♪

♪ We're alone in the night ♪

(gentle music)